The Director and the Dancer
by Enya-Shay
Summary: Jyn Erso is a dancer in a night club on Coruscant. When the Imperial military is visiting the city, Director Orson Krennic comes to see her dance and is captivated by what he sees. Entranced by this beautiful dancer but loyal to his cause, the Director struggles to proceed with caution after this tantalizing encounter.
1. Chapter 1

Jyn entered the back door of Club Super Nova, flushed and breathless from her run. She had been so caught up in doing other work that she didn't realize how late it was. So she literally ran through the streets of the city, dodging pedestrians and vehicles in order to get to work on time.

"Made it," she gasped in relief. She wasn't even a minute late. There was no way Carpo could be angry with her now.

She made her way down the hallway to the dressing room designated for the female employees. Upon entering, she was surprised when the girls who were already in there getting ready jumped slightly at her sudden arrival. They stared at her for a moment before realizing it was only her and going back to what they were doing.

That was strange. Usually when she arrived, it was to warm greetings or indifference. To see her fellow dancers look so alarmed and uneasy worried her. She wondered what had happened to put them on edge.

Jyn sat down on the bench in front of the mirror to do her make up for the night. Her friend Krissa, a blue Twi'lek sat beside her. When she glanced over, Jyn could see that Krissa's hands were shaking slightly as she applied her eye shadow.

"Krissa, what's going on?" Jyn whispered.

Krissa looked over at her friend, her brown eyes wide and her expression nervous. "The Imperial Military is here tonight," she replied.

Jyn felt herself get nervous when she heard that. She could see why everyone was on edge now. And they were right to be, because from what she heard the Empire was not to be trifled with. Their presence at the club was definitely going to make the evening a tough one.

"I'm scared," she heard another Twi'lek, a green one by the name of Laree, say from behind her.

Turning around, Jyn gave her a comforting smile. "Are you kidding, Laree? One look at you and the soldiers are going to have their minds blown."

Laree gave her a small, grateful smile then sat down on the other side of Jyn on the bench. "Tell us about your adventures today, Jyn," she requested.

"Come on, my life isn't that interesting," Jyn replied as she was trying to decide how to style her hair.

"Please? It will help take our minds off—things," Laree pleaded with a nervous look down at her bare legs.

A couple of the other girls had gathered around to listen in. They all lived at the club and didn't get out much. Hearing about Jyn's other work and her times spent in the city fascinated them. Carpo, their boss, had numerous times offered to let Jyn live in the club too but she refused. She liked the freedom of being able to roam the city, a freedom that would be severely limited if she stayed at the club. Carpo didn't like his girls wandering too far out of his sight.

So Jyn told them about their day. She recounted how she had been asked to smuggle some drugs on her person into a restaurant on one of the nicer parts of town. A rich man had wanted to purchase some, so the dealer Jyn worked for sometimes had instructed her to deliver them.

The girls oohed and ahhed as Jyn described the fancy outfit she got to wear to get into the restaurant. They continued to do so when she told them about the restaurant itself, and the handsome gentleman she met there. When she told them how she punched the dealer in the face for trying to cheat her, they gasped and applauded her.

"You are so lucky, Jyn," one of the girls, a blonde human named Marnie sighed wistfully.

"Yes," Krissa agreed "your life is so exciting."

Jyn clenched her jaw but refrained from arguing the point. She didn't want the life she had—it was a dangerous one. Running from law, being held at gunpoint, dealing with unsavory criminals, and being threatened daily was not a life to be coveted.

The only reason she did the things she did was to get to a better place in life. Having a mother who died and a father who left her when she was fifteen, Jyn resorted to crime. She was trying to make enough money to leave Coruscant and start over somewhere else. In a new place, she could have a better life. City living was just too difficult and dangerous for a young woman.

Before she could finish telling them about how she escaped from the dealer after punching him and taking her promised share, there was a knock on the door. The girls all froze and looked towards it as though they expected a Rancor to come bursting through any moment.

"It's me, Carpo," came their boss's voice on the other side of the door. "Are you decent? I need to come in and talk with you all."

The half-dressed girls quickly pulled on robes while Krissa got up to open the door. A short, orange alien with several green eyes on his head entered. There was a bag in his hand, which he set down beside him before turning back around. He wore nice maroon robes and a fancy, beaded hat to match. Though he was small and stout, his voice was loud and he knew how to command the attention of a room. He was tough, but treated his employees fairly. His real concern though, Jyn suspected, was with the club's business.

"Alright listen up, my beauties," he said, moving to stand in the middle of the room to get all the girls in his sights. Which wasn't hard to do since he had so many eyes. "Tonight is a very important night. As you may have heard, we got a whole bunch of them military boys in here. I know you're all probably nervous, but don't be. As long as we give 'em a good show, they'll behave just like any other customers."

"How many are there coming?" Marnie asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Carpo shrugged. "I'm expecting maybe fifty or sixty, but who knows? They're gonna be in town for a while so it won't just be tonight that they're here. Me and the boys will keep an eye on 'em. All I want you girls to worry about is making sure they enjoy themselves."

The girls exchanged nervous looks. Their job was solely to dance and entertain those in the club. However, the Empire was powerful. If the soldiers wanted more than just dancing from them then there was no refusing. They would have to do whatever they said, just to stay safe. It was not a good prospect, and Jyn saw tears in several of the girls' eyes which they struggled to hide from Carpo. She clenched her fists. This was not fair—why couldn't they go somewhere else?

"Jyn," Carpo barked at her suddenly "change of plans for you tonight."

She frowned at him, confused. "Sorry?"

He reached behind him and grabbed the bag that he had brought into the room with him. Presenting it to Jyn, he said "You're gonna wear this tonight instead of the blue outfit."

Jyn peeked into the bag. There was a silky white material inside that made her nervous. Different outfits applied to different music. And each music had its own dance to it. So tonight, she would have to do the dance that went along with this new white outfit.

"Carpo, I don't think I—"

"Now Jyn," he interrupted in a chiding tone "I know you aren't very confident in yourself, but I am. You're the Jewel of Club Super Nova, the best we have to offer. When those military boys see you dance, they're gonna be begging for an encore."

She gripped the handles of the bag tightly. "I don't even know what dance goes along with this one. This is a new outfit."

"Exactly," Carpo confirmed "it's a new piece of music that Jern composed last night."

Jyn was ready to punt him through the roof. "Carpo, how can I dance to a piece of music I don't know the dance for though?"

"You'll improvise, of course!" he boomed proudly as though this was the best idea he ever had. "This is the best idea I ever had and it's gonna blow them all away."

She closed her eyes, feeling very anxious now. Improvise? She had never done that on the stage before. She knew all the dances by heart and how to execute them perfectly. How was she supposed to create her own moves to a piece of music she had never heard before?

"Oh, and I want your make up to be light tonight," he went on, going over to the makeup counter in front of the mirror. "Hm let's see…scarlet for your lips, this shade of blue for your eyes and—ah—have Krissa draw some designs in blue next to your eyes."

With that, their boss gave his loud wishes of good luck and left the room. The girls immediately surrounded Jyn, sympathizing with her for her plight. She allowed them to lead her over to the bench while they swarmed in to help do her makeup. Jyn sat there, feeling sick and defeated. She was not looking forward to the night before her at all.

Director Orson Krennic sat at a table in the back of the club, feeling rather bored. He wished he could go back to his room at the inn to spend the evening there. However, the men needed to see their superiors there. It made the night more enjoyable if they saw the higher ups letting loose too. A morale-raiser, in a way. So even though he didn't really want to be there, he had to be. At least the drinks were good. He did enjoy relaxing and having a good drink every now and then.

While he sat there, he saw the owner of the club approaching. He had been around at least six times, checking to make sure all the soldiers were enjoying themselves. Krennic was amused by it. It was good to see that the military's presence commanded respect from the citizens.

They would be stationed in Coruscant for a couple weeks. There was business there to be done—people to be enlisted in helping them with the project. Coruscant was a good place to round up assistance, and make a good impression on the people living there. Krennic enjoyed the city and hoped their stay would prove fruitful.

"How is everything, Director Krennic?" the orange alien asked as he approached his table.

Krennic lifted his drink to him. The alcohol was making him mellow and much more good-natured than usual. "Your bartender certainly knows how to make a fine beverage, Mr. Carpo."

Carpo looked relieved at that. "That he does. Just wait 'til you see our girls perform. We got the best-looking girls on Coruscant."

Krennic suppressed a scoff. He felt like everywhere they went, club owners boasted having the best-looking women. Yet every time he saw them, he found himself bored. It was usually the same thing, skinny little Twi'leks or human girls parading around in skimpy outfits and too much makeup. Krennic had yet to see one that kept his interest.

"I'm sure they'll put on a good show," he replied, choosing to be polite instead of condescending.

The little orange alien nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, they sure will. And at the finale, you'll see the prize of my collection here—the Jewel of Club Super Nova."

"Sounds good," Krennic mumbled back before taking a long drink from his glass. His head was starting to feel fuzzy and as Carpo went on about this Jewel, he felt his attention slipping away. At least getting drunk would allow him to have a better time at the club.

The owner seemed to realize that Krennic was no longer listening because he quickly scampered off towards the door by the stage, disappearing behind it. A few of Krennic's men stopped by to ask him how he was enjoying himself too. They laughed with him upon realizing how drunk he was.

"Behave yourselves now," Krennic warned them jokingly. "I've instructed the club owner to inform me immediately if any of you get out of line."

"Don't worry sir, we'll behave," one of the underlings loudly promised him.

"I dunno, once I see these girls they keeps talking about, I might misbehave a little," said another one with a mischievous grin.

Krennic shook his head and took another drink. "Now Kratzen, this is not a brothel. If you want girls, you go down the street to Shiner's and they'll set you up. The girls here are just dancers so nobody touches them."

"I didn't know you had a soft spot for club dancers," Kratzen remarked boldly.

The Director waved him off. "I don't, but it paints us in a better light if we show respect for these people. After all, we don't want to be feared—we want to be respected."

The men nodded in understanding. It made sense, but they were still disappointed. Dancers tended to be better looking than brothel prostitutes. But the Director was right—they shouldn't do anything that would make people afraid of them. After exchanging some more light-hearted conversation with Krennic, the men took their leave and moved towards the stage to watch the upcoming dances.

Krennic finished his drink then ordered another from a passing male Twi'lek server. He was pleased that the men were enjoying themselves. They had been working hard and earned a few nights of fun. Krennic was starting to enjoy himself a little more now that the alcohol was hitting him. Perhaps tonight wouldn't be so bad after all.

Jyn looked nervously through the curtain at the waiting crowd around the stage. There were tons of Imperial soldiers there—probably about fifty or sixty as Carpo had said. Her fellow dancers were already out there performing, dancing in a group and making the men cheer and whistle with excitement.

She wished that she could dance in a group. It could be so nerve-wracking and lonely dancing solo. When she first came in for the audition to become a dancer, Carpo saw her dance and immediately hired her. He said with her combined beauty and moves, she was worth her own dance. And so, Jyn became a solo act—eventually becoming known as the Jewel of Club Super Nova.

And tonight, Jyn certainly looked the part of a jewel. The new outfit Carpo had given her to wear was white and silver. It was a bikini style, like all their costumes, but made with a white, silky material that had a silver lining and was studded with white gems. The bottom had a long white skirt attached to the silver belt. It wrapped around her back half but left the front bare and open. Her makeup was minimal, with some pretty blue spiral designs on each side of her face done with care by Krissa. To top it all off was a silver crown embedded with white gems that she wore atop her head.

"Marvelous!" Carpo praised as he approached her backstage. "You're a vision, Jyn—a real Imperial princess."

Jyn wanted to argue with him that it was a mistake to have her improvise the dance but she knew it was useless. Carpo was stubborn, and once he had made up his mind there was no changing it. So she held her tongue and waited anxiously for it to be her turn to dance.

"Good luck, Jyn," Krissa said as she went back stage when her dance had finished. She hugged her friend tightly and gave her back a gentle rub. "I know you're going to be amazing."

Her heart raced as Carpo got on stage to announce her. The way he talked her up—she absolutely could not afford to mess this up. Everyone would be expecting something amazing and she had no choice but to deliver. Taking deep breaths and trying not to shake, Jyn climbed the steps and headed out onto the stage.

The lights were bright on her, but she was used to that. It was a packed house too which was scary, but not something she hadn't seen before. The crowd fell silent when Jyn was onstage. She could hear the men muttering to one another, quietly appreciating her form and beauty.

She heard the music start, and instincts kicked in. To start off, she began to sway a little to give her some time to hear the beat of the music and decide what sort of dance to put with it. Fortunately, it sounded a bit like the dance she wore a green outfit for. So she went with some moves for that. The stage was large and went outwards into the crowd like a runway. While she danced, Jyn made her way down it so that the men could see her from all angles. It was a little embarrassing, being ogled at when her body was only minimally covered. But it made her money and it brought in business, so she put on the best show she could.

Her body moved to the music, almost entirely instinctually. There was no plan, so she did whatever moves she thought worked best with the music. She made them sexy, seductive, just what the crowd liked to see. She used the skirt to her advantage, making it twirl around her to give her form an extra bit of grace to it.

Though everything was unplanned and purely improvised, the men loved it. They cheered and whistled for her as she moved. Jyn began to feel better as the dance went on, seeing as she was succeeding in creating an enjoyable show. Carpo's idea had been a risky one but it seemed to be paying off. If the military was happy with their club then it could benefit them greatly.

As she made her way to the end of the stage, a man sitting at a table in back caught her eye. Normally, she didn't focus on faces in the crowd while she danced but this one captured her attention. He was older than her, with grey hair and a rugged, attractive look to him. She wasn't sure why she was stuck on him—perhaps because she usually kept her focus on the back wall of the club and that's where he was sitting.

His attention was completely on her and he seemed captivated by what he saw. Jyn kept her eyes on him as she moved, and when they met his she smiled and winked at him. He seemed a bit taken aback by that at first but then his lips pulled upwards into a returning smile. He wore a white shirt with a high collar that was buttoned all the way up and black pants, boots, and gloves. He also had a white cape that was slung over the chair beside him. Jyn wasn't sure who he was, but he looked important.

In a way, she felt like she was starting to direct her dance moves towards him. After all, their eyes were locked on one another to make it feel more personal. Knowing better than to show favoritism, Jyn turned away from him and began to make her way back down the runway. She felt a warmth in her cheeks as his intense gaze was still burned into her memory. The way he looked at her…it was unlike any look she'd ever received before. It stayed with her, even when she tried hard to push it out and focus on the dance.

Fortunately, the music died down and Jyn finished with a pose that made the men go wild. They clapped, cheered, and whistled for her. She was pleased, but still distracted by the man in back. Squinting through the light, she could see that he had gotten to his feet and was clapping for her along with the rest. His gaze was still locked on her.

Jyn smiled and blew a kiss to the crowd. After her bow, she turned and walked off stage. The other dancers met her and she was given hugs, pats on the back and congratulatory words. It was a huge relief to be off the stage. She did it. She improvised a dance and pleased the entire Imperial military.

Back out in the club, the men were calling for an encore. Jyn was grabbed by Carpo and instructed to quickly go change into the lilac outfit. Relieved to be allowed to do a dance she knew, Jyn hurried back to the dressing room to change while Carpo went out to inform the crowds that the Jewel of Club Super Nova would return after a short break.

As she changed, she thought about the man in the back some more. She wondered who he was in the military ranks and if she would be seeing him again after the show. Perhaps he would use his high rank, if he was highly ranked, to get close to her. Carpo had promised the girls they wouldn't have to give themselves to any of the military men, but what if the man decided he wanted her? He could bend the rules, if he really wanted to, and there wouldn't be much they could do to stop him. Jyn hoped that wasn't the case. Though she found him attractive, she didn't think she was ready for something like that just yet.

Krennic continued staring at the stage, even after the girl had gone. Watching the other dancers had bored him, but when the one in white and silver had come on—he couldn't look away. Never before had he seen someone so elegant, so beautiful, so tempting. He'd watched her every move, wanting her more and more as the dance went on. And when she'd looked at him and winked…

He reasoned that it was probably the alcohol messing with his head. It was making his feelings stronger, making him want her more than he would if he hadn't been drinking. That didn't change the fact that as he sat there, he imagined the Jewel of Club Super Nova in all sorts of compromising positions with him. He burned for her, wanted her so badly he nearly got up to go backstage himself.

Krennic checked himself despite his current state of mind. Though he was drunk, he had to calm down. As he had told his men, the dancers were off limits. Just as they wanted the Empire to be respected, they also had to show the people respect. And besides, when sober Krennic respected women and treated them well. After all, he worked with a number of women on the Empire's project.

Carpo announced the girl would be returning for an encore dance. Krennic took a deep breath and another drink from his glass. He was tempted to slip into the bathroom and dump some cold water down his pants. After all, if these feelings kept up he was sure that it was about to get very uncomfortable down below. Resolving to keep calm and push the feelings away, Krennic clutched his glass and waited for the girl to make her reappearance.


	2. Chapter 2

"Breathe," Jyn instructed herself as she stood in front of the dressing room mirror. With her encore dance only minutes away, she gripped the makeup counter in anticipation. It wasn't the military crowd she was nervous about anymore, but rather the man in back.

Nothing about him suggested that he was an aggressive man, or that he wanted to do anything to her. Something about him stuck with her though and she couldn't put her finger on it. Was she scared of him? Attracted to him? Thrown off by him? She wasn't sure. All she knew was that she was nervous to see him again.

Jyn considered what could happen if he did request that she spend the night with him. She knew about sex thanks to her time spent on the streets. However, she had never done it herself before. The thought of ever doing that with someone made her cheeks burn. Jyn was a tough girl, but she found sex intimidating. She didn't know if she could do it without getting too nervous.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Carpo, who stuck his head into the room without knocking and barked at her to get ready to go on. Jyn started, knocking a couple tubes of lipstick onto the floor with a loud clatter. Flustered, she quickly snatched them up and replaced them on the counter before getting to her feet and exiting the room.

At least this time there was no going in blind. She knew by heart the dance that went along with the lilac outfit's piece of music. It was a highly requested dance for a couple reasons: One, it involved a lot more gyrating than the other dances and two, the lilac outfit left very little to the imagination. It was unsurprising that the customers liked that one the most.

And now she would be performing it for the Imperial military, and the man who stared so intensely at her. Jyn trembled but clenched her fists at her sides. She was a girl who had spent nearly a decade on her own, fighting thugs on the streets and doing dangerous tasks. She could do this. No problem.

Orson Krennic watched the dancers on stage, feeling bored once again and wishing the previous girl would come back out. It wasn't that they were bad looking or bad dancers, but he still could not get over her. And after her tantalizing performance everything else just sort of paled in comparison.

He had resolved to not seek her out later. No, if he got involved with a dancer that could lead to some issues when they had to leave. Not to mention all the looks he would get from the rest of his unit and the whispers about them behind their backs. It was best to stick to admiration from afar.

Also, Krennic didn't think it was safe to approach her in his current state of mind. He was a sensible enough man to know when he had had too much to drink and when to stop his drunk self from doing something rash. It would be acting on his lower instincts. He couldn't do that to the girl. She was too beautiful, too special to be treated in such a way. So he stayed put and finished what he decided would be his last drink of the night.

All the same, his decision to not approach her didn't stop the lustful thoughts that kept cropping up in his mind. The girl was so scantily clad that it was easy to picture her fully nude and laying on a bed before him. He drew the line there though—fantasies were all he was going to allow himself.

Beyond what was going through his mind, he didn't think it would be right to take her in such a way. After all, he was with the Empire and clearly older than her. She might turn away in disgust if he even tried to approach her. Krennic downed the last of his drink. Yes, that was the most likely outcome.

At long last, the dancers on the stage retreated and Carpo came out one more time to announce the final dance for the evening. Krennic sat up straight, looking in eager anticipation for the girl to come out. When she did, his jaw nearly dropped. Now in a more revealing lilac outfit, she looked just as breathtaking as she had before—almost more so.

His eyes followed her every move as she did this new dance, one that was far more seductive than the first. The way her body moved, so sensual and appealing, he could feel a certain spot in his trousers getting uncomfortably tight. Perhaps a trip to the wash room was in the near future for him after all.

As he watched her, he noticed her eyes would occasionally fall on him before looking quickly away. At first he reasoned it to be like during the first dance when she met his gaze—only by chance. However, when she kept doing it he began to wonder if that was really the case. Perhaps she had a mutual interest in him as well.

 _Or she knows who you are and wants to impress you for the sake of doing her job_ , he thought. Either way, every time she did look at him he felt like his heart missed a beat. He never knew someone could make him feel this way with just a look. Perhaps it was from drinking too much.

The dance ended, too soon in Krennic's opinion, and the girl retreated backstage once more. After the dances were finished, the crowd began to thin. The Imperial group began to head back to the inn, or to the brothel down the street. Krennic stood and decided he was done for the night as well. He knew it was best to go back and try to forget about the girl. They were only there two weeks. It wouldn't be long before they were off the planet and he could put her out of his mind for good.

With one last wistful look at the stage, Krennic turned and headed towards the exit. The whole way there, he didn't look back. And since he didn't look back he missed the curtain parting, revealing a pair of blue eyes that followed him as he departed.

Jyn was peeking through the curtain just as the man in back was leaving. She couldn't tell if she was relieved or disappointed that he was going. At least it meant he wasn't going to pursue her tonight. And perhaps it would be the last time she would ever see him. When that thought crossed her mind, she felt a little sad. It would seem that she did have some positive feelings towards him then.

After watching him go, she turned away from the curtain and headed to the dressing room to get changed. She was eager to put on her comfortable, concealing street clothes and wipe all the makeup off her face. When she got back to her apartment, she resolved to go straight to bed.

Carpo visited the dressing room before she left to congratulate the girls on a job well done. He promised they would all get hefty paychecks the following day. He also told them that the Imperial military would be back again so they would have to be ready for them. The girls exchanged nervous looks at that. As if one night wasn't nerve-wracking enough.

"And you, Jyn," he said, turning to her and clapping her on the shoulder. "Your performance was magnificent. The men were quite taken with you, especially the Director."

Her ears perked up at that. "The Director?"

"Yeah, Director Orson Krennic. He's a pretty big deal for the Empire. You might have seen him while you were dancing. He was the fellow sitting way in the back. The one in white."

 _So his name is Orson Krennic then_. Jyn smiled at that. Now she had a name to go along with the face.

"I'm surprised he didn't stick around to see you after," Carpo mused. "He seemed very captivated by you."

Jyn shrugged and said as casually as she could "Guess he had more important things to attend to tonight."

She said her good-byes to her fellow dancers and left the club. Normally Coruscant streets late at night were not good for anyone, but Jyn was ready for anything. She carried a small blaster in her pocket wherever she went. Physically she was good at throwing punches and kicks but a blaster was so much more effective. So no matter where she went, Jyn felt relatively safe with the blaster at her side.

She arrived back at her apartment with no incidents. As planned, she immediately threw off her jacket and climbed into bed. Though she was tired, her mind was still active and wouldn't allow her to sleep just yet. She kept thinking of Director Krennic and the way he looked at her while she danced.

Jyn wondered why he didn't try and come see her afterwards to introduce himself. Clearly, he was interested in her. His exit was pretty quick though, leading Jyn to believe that maybe she read too much into it. He probably had too much to drink, and that's why her dance had made him stare so much.

She rolled over onto her side, staring out at the city through the window. It didn't matter anyway. In a couple weeks he would be gone with the rest of the Imperial military. And after he was gone, Jyn's life would go back to normal.

Normal. Normal was doing peoples' dirty work and dancing seductively for the enjoyment of men. Normal was getting through each day hoping it would be one day closer to getting out of there. Normal was what she was doing now: Going to bed feeling empty and hopeless. Because deep down, she was beginning to think that maybe there was no escape for her.

The following three nights, Orson Krennic visited the club to watch the special girl dance. Just as before though, he didn't stay long enough to see her afterwards. He knew it wasn't a good idea to try and pursue her, no matter what he felt. That didn't stop him from coming back though.

The military liked the club so it gave him an excuse to be there. The men would invite him so he would shrug and say yes. Each night, Krennic assured himself that it was his last night there. However, the next night he would be there once again. He was beginning to suspect that he was a masochist.

"Why do you keep coming back here?" one of the captains asked him on his third night there. "I didn't take you to be the club-going sort."

Krennic shrugged. "I like getting out a bit," he replied in an offhand tone. "My room at the inn can get pretty dull, anyway."

It was true, if it weren't for the girl he probably wouldn't have come back. The club wasn't anything special, and he didn't care to get drunk again after the first night. She was the only part of the experience that kept him coming each night.

After the captain had left, Carpo came bounding over to his table. The small alien seemed extremely pleased about something.

"I have a gift for you, Director," Carpo boomed at him over the music. "It's something I think you'll appreciate very much."

"What is it?" asked Krennic, curious about what sort of gift the club owner could have in mind for him.

The alien gestured for him to follow. "Come with me," he said, grinning. "You're going to love it."

Jyn sat on the bench in the dressing room alone, staring at herself in the mirror. She was confused, because as soon as she came in Carpo had told her she wouldn't be going on stage that night. He told her that she was still going to get paid for the night but refrained from telling her what for. So she sat quietly, waiting for him to come get her as he said he would.

Just as she was beginning to wonder whether she should argue with him about letting her dance, Carpo entered. He was beaming as he grabbed her by the wrist and began to drag her out of the room and down the hall.

"What's going on?" Jyn demanded, tired of being left in the dark.

"You, my Jewel, are going to be giving a very special dance tonight," he replied with excitement.

Jyn frowned, still confused. "What do you mean? You said I wouldn't be going on stage tonight."

"Oh, you're not going to dance on stage. You're going to be giving a—ah— _private_ dance in the back room."

The girl stopped dead in her tracks, wrenching herself from the alien's grasp. "No," she replied, taking a few steps back. "I'm not doing that."

Her reply didn't sit well with her boss. He turned to her, arms folded and an angry glint in his eyes. "Oh yes you are, girl. Do you know how much we need favor from the Empire? I have a lot of shady businesses that take place in my club. And if I want business to carry on as it is, I have to do whatever it takes to keep them happy."

Jyn felt like she was on the verge of tears. "You promised me," she said, her voice wavering. "You promised all of us we would never have to—to—"

"Times have changed, Jyn," Carpo replied simply. "And if you want to keep this gig, you're going to do as I say."

Her eyes burned. It wasn't fair. This job paid well, and she didn't want to lose it. But what she had to do to keep it, she just wasn't ready for.

"Now you stop that lip from trembling and straighten up," Carpo told her sharply, grabbing her wrist and dragging her towards the private room once more. "You've got a job to do."

They arrived at the room, the entrance of which was concealed by a curtain. "Make him happy, whatever it takes," Carpo whispered before shoving Jyn through the curtain.

She stumbled into the room, heart racing and eyes on the floor. Swallowing and taking a deep breath, she looked up to see who it was she was going to be entertaining. Jyn's heart about stopped: It was Director Krennic.

He had been sitting on the only chair in the room, but when she entered he stared at her for a moment before getting to his feet.

"Jewel?" he said in surprise.

She shook her head slowly. It dawned on her that this was the first time he had ever spoken with her. "That's not my name," was all she could manage in reply. She redirected her gaze back to the floor. The Director was tall and had an authoritative aura about him. She felt very small in his presence.

"Oh," she heard him reply. "I see."

There was a silence between them. Jyn was not surprised by this. Neither of them had been expecting this meeting. And from the way Krennic bolted after every performance, he hadn't seemed to want to talk to her. So now that they were thrown together they couldn't decide what to say.

 _Make him happy—whatever it takes_ , Carpo's words rang through Jyn's mind. It didn't matter who he was. If she didn't do this, she would be out of a job. Steeling herself, Jyn approached Krennic.

"Just relax," she said, unsure if it was directed more towards herself or him. When she was right in front of him, she reached up and placed her hand on his chest. She guided him back to the chair and gently pushed him back down onto it.

Trembling, Jyn moved so that she was straddling him on the chair. It was strange, having her body pressed against another. She had never had such intimate contact like this with anyone before. Jyn was pretty sure the last time anyone had even hugged her was when her father was still around. The Director was very warm, and she could feel his heart pounding against her chest. The contact would have been nice if she wasn't so afraid.

She took Krennic's hands and pulled the gloves off of them. She then placed his bare hands on her sides and began to move herself back and forth on top of him. Jyn wasn't sure if this was how you instigated arousal but she hoped he would be pleased by it.

When she finally brought herself to look up at him, she was surprised by the look on his face. Jyn knew what lust looked like, as she had seen it many times before on men's faces. Krennic was not looking at her with lust—he seemed to be looking at her with concern.

"I didn't ask for this," he told her in a quiet voice.

Jyn stopped moving to give him a curious look. "What do you mean?"

"Carpo told me to wait in this room because he had a surprise for me," Krennic explained. "I had no idea it was going to be you."

She lowered her gaze. "Well, looks like we were both surprised then." Jyn reached up and began to unbutton his shirt with shaking hands. She was four buttons down when Krennic's hands closed over her own, pulling them away from the buttons. He then put his hands back on her sides, but instead of fondling her he gently pushed her off of him.

Krennic stood, looking down at the confused Jyn with a sad look in his eyes. "No," he told her softly "not like this."

Jyn felt a worry creep into her. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked. "I can do something else if you'd—"

He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. "It's not you," he murmured in a kind, gentle voice. "I know you're scared and you don't want this. That's why I'm not going to let it happen."

Stunned, Jyn watched as he moved around her, heading back to the curtain. Before he exited the room, he paused and turned back to her. "Don't worry, I'll tell Carpo you showed me a good time. Wait a while before you go back to your dressing room so that he doesn't suspect anything." With that, he pushed aside the curtain and left the room.

Jyn could only stand there for a few minutes after his departure. She was still trembling, but it wasn't from fear anymore. She dropped to her knees, held her face in her hands, and began to cry softly. It was the first time a man had ever shown her respect. She wasn't used to that. Whether it was at the club or on the streets, men were always demanding something of her. Krennic didn't. Instead, he saw her fear and respected it. He respected her. Jyn was overwhelmed by such an act of kindness that she couldn't help but cry.

When her crying had finally subsided, she got shakily to her feet. She was disappointed that he hadn't given her a chance to thank him. Jyn wondered if he would be back the next night so that she could express her gratitude. Feeling better now that the crying was done and the fear had passed, Jyn slowly made her way out of the private room and back towards the dressing room.


	3. Chapter 3

Jyn made her way swiftly through the streets of Coruscant. She kept her head down, making sure not to look anyone in the eye. Eye contact could mean trouble in such a densely populated city so it was best to avoid it when possible. Besides, someone could recognize her from the club. That was something she definitely wanted to avoid.

After looking both ways, she turned off the main city sidewalk and slipped into an alleyway between a bar and what she assumed was a bank. It was dark in the alley and her heart was pounding. She kept a hand on the blaster at her side, just in case.

At the end of the alleyway, in front of a tall fence was a large black and purple alien in grey robes. Even though he was at least two feet taller than her, Jyn approached him boldly, shoulders squared and trying to look fiercer than she felt.

"What have you got for me today, Jenner?" she asked in a low voice, even though they were the only ones in they alleyway and far away from the bustling crowds.

He grunted at her, the air from his large nostrils swishing her hair. "Nothing," he replied in a gravelly voice.

Jyn folded her arms. "Come on, there has to be something. You've got to have something you need taken care of."

Jenner glared down at her with poison green eyes. "I told you, I ain't risking nothing with them Imperials wandering around. Come back and see me when they've left."

"Okay, then why did you call me here?" she demanded, annoyed that her time had apparently been wasted.

"Because I'm not the one who wants you today," he answered "they are."

The large alien pointed over her shoulder, and Jyn turned back to see three more beings had entered the alley. Her heart dropped into her stomach when she saw that the one in the foreground was the dealer who had tried to cheat her a few days ago. He still sported a purple bruise on his nose from where she'd punched him.

"Looks like we've caught ourselves some lunch, boys," the man with the bruise said to his companions, giving Jyn a wicked grin.

Jyn pulled out her blaster, training it on him. "Back off, Shern," she called to him. "I only took what you promised me, nothing more. You shouldn't have tried to cheat me in the first place."

"And you shouldn't have pissed off someone with more friends than you," Shern replied. He motioned his hand, and Jyn felt two arms lock around her from the back-Jenner's arms.

"Sorry Jyn," she heard him mumble "it's just business."

She bared her teeth at Shern and his companions. "I'm not afraid of you," she growled.

He shrugged. "I don't care. That's not gonna stop me from roughing you up."

"Coward," she accused. "You know you're too weak to fight me yourself. That's why you called in your goon squad to take me on."

Shern narrowed his dark brown eyes at her. He then pulled a knife from his pocket, moving forward so that he could press the weapon into her cheek. He put pressure on it until ruby red drops began to run down the blade.

Jyn winced at the pain, but continued to glare at him. He pulled the knife from her cheek, moving it down to her neck. He looked her right in the eyes as he pressed the knife into her neck and made her bleed there too.

"Lets see how many cuts I can make on that pretty little body of yours," he sneered. "I don't think your customers will like you so much after I'm done with you."

"Do your worst," she offered before spitting in his face. Her act of defiance earned her a painful strike across the face with Shern's fist. She saw spots and stars but remained calm. Reacting to the pain would only make him enjoy it more, and that was something she would not allow.

Jyn was just getting ready to accept the fact that her body was about to become a mosaic of slashes when a new voice entered the alleyway.

"What's all this about?" it demanded.

Shern looked over his shoulder at the person who spoke. When he saw who it was, his face paled and the knife fell from his hand and onto the ground. "Move, boys! It's an Imperial!" he bellowed.

Jyn felt herself unexpectedly released and she fell hard onto the ground. She heard the others taking off past her and over the fence. Hurting from her bleeding wounds, the blow to the face, and the drop to the ground, Jyn decided to take a moment to just lay there instead of trying to flee the newcomer.

She heard footsteps approaching. Slowly, she pulled herself off the ground and looked up to see Orson Krennic standing there. He was dressed differently today, wearing a black and blue uniform as opposed to the white one she always saw him in. At the moment, he was looking down at her in concern.

"Director Krennic," she said in a quiet voice, choosing to remain on the ground rather than try to stand. Her legs felt like jello from the involuntary adrenaline rush she got when she was cut. It would be a few minutes before she would risk trying to stand up.

He knelt down before her, taking her face into his hands and examining her injuries. He swore under his breath. "What happened to you?"

Jyn bit her lip. If she told him the full story, he would know about her criminal activities and she could get into a world of trouble. However, if she didn't tell him the truth, he might try and go after the thugs who did it. And that could be its own realm of problems.

Sighing, she pulled herself out of his reach and worked on trying to stand. "Let's just say I got into some trouble," she muttered. "Long story short-not everything I do with my life is on the right side of the law."

She accepted Krennic's help in getting to her feet. She swayed a little, but he put an arm around her waist and guided her to the alleyway's exit. His body was warm, and reminded her of their previous night together. Her cheeks heated at the memory.

"I never got the chance to thank you," she said to him as he led her towards a bench and had her sit down while she recovered. "For the other night, that is."

He smiled at her. "I appreciate it, but you don't need to thank me. I was only doing what any decent man should have done."

Jyn accepted the handkerchief he handed her to mop up the blood on her face and neck. "You'd be surprised how few men I run into are decent."

"I can see that," he remarked, watching her try to staunch the bleeding with an unreadable expression on his face. "Here, come with me to the government headquarters. It's not far from here. They have medical supplies there so you can treat your injuries."

She shook her head. "It's okay, I have some things at home to help. Besides, a criminal like me should avoid government buildings whenever possible." Jyn looked down at the white kerchief in her hand, stained scarlet with her blood. Now that her head had cleared, she was mad at herself. How could she have been so stupid as to let this happen?

"Please," he requested gently "I want to make sure you're alright."

Jyn looked up at him, questions in her eyes. "Why do you care about me?" she asked, a little more forcefully than she intended. Still, she wanted to know what his game was. Why did he stare at her so intensely at the club? Why did he come back night after night to watch her? Why when, he was presented with the opportunity to have her, he refused to take her? And why now, when she had obviously been involved with some shady characters, was he still wanting to help her?

He frowned at the inquiry. "I don't understand your meaning."

"You know," said Jyn, gesturing randomly with her hand "I'm nothing worth being concerned about. I'm just a club dancer who does criminal activities on the side."

"That's not what I see," he replied. "There's something remarkable about you, I know there is. If you'd let me, I'd like the chance to understand what it is."

Jyn stared up at him, trying to figure him out. Usually she could tell right away when people had ulterior motives. Krennic though-she just wasn't sure.

"You want to get to know me?" she asked slowly.

He nodded. "If you don't mind. Believe it or not, I'm drawn to you because of more than just your beauty. There's a strength in you."

"How do you know?"

"Because whatever they did to you in that alleyway, you came out from it in a better state than most people I know would. You roam the streets freely in a city where it's dangerous to do so. You dance every night for strange and shady folk. Someone who lives their life the way you do has to be pretty strong."

Jyn had never looked at it that way before. She always thought she was just dealing with things the best she could. Never before had someone shown her this kind of respect and admiration. She found that she was appreciative of Krennic for seeing it in her.

"Thank you," she said, mostly to her knees than to him. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get these injuries cleaned up."

She stood, wavering but managing to keep on her feet. Turning to him again, she then held out her hand to him. "I don't think we've properly met before. My name is Jyn."  
He took her hand and shook it. "Orson Krennic. Come now, we'd better get you there before you bleed out."

Krennic led Jyn down to Coruscant's government headquarters. This was where all the political meetings with the Imperials and other planets in their star system were held. He had been on his way there when some angry voices drew him to the alleyway. The last person he had been expecting to find there was the beautiful dancer from the club.

It made his heart ache to see here there on the ground, bleeding and hurting from her injuries. When she looked up at him though, he saw the courage in her eyes. She was not afraid of him, or of what had happened to her. Rather, she just looked surprised to see him.

Her appearance was vastly different than it had been previously. At the club, she was scantily clad with makeup and hair done to perfection. Now, however, she looked like she'd been through the ringer. Her brown hair was tossled from the scuffle, there was a blossoming bruise on her cheek, she was covered in blood, and she wore neutral-colored clothing that was both concealing and unflattering to her form. But it would have to be, if she was to survive in the city.

In spite of himself, he was glad to see her again. He felt much better with her like this, in a more relaxed state. They could talk to one another freely without the burden of a customer-client relationship hanging over them. He was seeing her as she was, and he liked it that way.

"You sure you're feeling alright?" he asked a second time.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've been hurt worse than this."

"Well you're hurt pretty bad," Krennic remarked "I'd hate to see what happened that was worse than this."

They entered the building, and Krennic was immediately accosted by several of his men. They looked from him to Jyn and back again, utter confusion upon their faces.

"Don't worry," Krennic assured them "she's the daughter of an old friend. Some thugs roughed her up on the street so I'm taking her to the medical ward for treatment."

A couple of the younger men exchanged mischievous looks. However, they said nothing about the implications of their boss going off to be alone with a young woman and let them pass. Krennic noticed the looks and sighed. Could they not see the poor girl was bleeding?

He escorted Jyn to the east wing of the building and into a small but clean room where he could patch her up. Like a physician with a patient, he had her sit on the cold, metal table in the middle of the room while he pulled out bandages and antibiotics from the cabinets.

"So what do you do?" Jyn asked as he went about getting things ready.

"Pardon?"

"Well, you know all about me-orphaned club dancer and part time criminal. But what about you? What is it you do for the Empire?"

Krennic wasn't quick to respond. He knew if he told her the truth, about what he was working on, she probably wouldn't approve. As much as it pained him to hide it from her, he couldn't bring himself to say it. Besides, their project was classified. He couldn't just go about discussing it with a girl he'd only met a few days ago.

"I'm in charge of a few projects here and there," he said as he removed his gloves and washed his hands.

"What sort of projects?" she questioned.

He turned around and winked at her. "I'm afraid that's classified information there, darling," he replied. "I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to."

Jyn smiled at him, a smile that he couldn't help but feel warmed by. "So you're important then?"

Krennic shrugged, bringing the bandages and antibiotics over to her. "I suppose you could say that," he said casually as he gently cleaned off her injuries with a disinfecting wipe.

Her eyes were on his face as he worked. He wondered what she thought of him at this point. Surely, she was probably confused about his motives towards her. How could she not be? First, all she likely saw from him was desire. Then when they were together, he gently refused her services and left her there. Now here they were, him treating her injuries as though they were old friends. It certainly was an interesting relationship they had.

"Did you want me that night?" Jyn asked suddenly as he was gently rubbing the antibiotic cream onto her neck wound.

Krennic's eyes met hers. "What?"

Jyn lowered her gaze quickly, as though she were embarrassed by her question. "When you saw me dance on the first night," she clarified. "Did you want me?"

He paused, fingers still on her neck, formulating a response to such a question. Then he decided that honesty, when he could afford it, was the best path with such a woman. "More than I've ever wanted anyone or anything in my life," he replied quietly.

Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Then why didn't you take me?"

Krennic sighed. He placed his other hand over one of her own. "Just because I'm with the Empire doesn't mean I'm a monster."

Jyn nodded. "Sorry, I'm just not used to being around kind people. Besides my fellow dancers, the people I encounter are pretty selfish."

He removed his hand from hers. "Well you don't have to worry about that with me," he assured her, reaching down to get the bandages to place over her cheek and neck. "I promise you, I won't make you do anything you're not comfortable with." He paused, then smiled. "Except for escorting you to a government building for treatment."

She smiled at that too and looked back up at him. "Yes, but that was for my own good. I can be very stubborn."

"You're remarkable, Jyn," he commented, placing the bandage on her cheek and then giving it a gentle stroke.

Jyn seemed to lean into the tender touch, which actually made him a bit sad to see. The poor girl, whether she was aware of it or not, was starved for affection. Who knew how long it had been since someone had last given her a hug or any sort of gentle, loving contact.

Finished with the treatment, Krennic escorted her out the back so they wouldn't have to go through the questioning underlings again. She thanked him for helping her, and hesitated a bit before taking off.

"Will I see you again tonight?" she asked.

He gave her a look of regret. "I'm sorry, I have a meeting to go to until late. Perhaps if we get out early, I will."

She grinned. "I hope so. I want to see you again."

"You will," he told her. "I'm sure of it."


End file.
